Metal crate



A. T. O'DEA.

METAL CRATE.

l APPLICATON FILED OCT. 23,1920. 1,408,392, A Patented Feb. 28, 1922.

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UNITED STATES ARTHUR T. ODEA, OF PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA.

METAL CRATE.

emesse.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 28, 19,22.

Application filed October 23, 1920. Serial No. 418,959.

l To all whom. t may concern.'

Be it known that I, ARTHUR T. ODEa, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Pittsburgh, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania,have made a new andnse'lul Invention in Metal Crates, ci which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to shipping con tainers and consists in aV metallic crate adapted for flat, flexible merchandise.

My crate has been designed especially for use in shipping paper and one of the objects of my invention is to present flat surT l'aces next to the paper. Other objects are to secure an adjustable, light, compact,

v strong and economical crate.

These objects are obtained by the vuse of the metal fabricating element illustrated in the accompanying `drawings in which Figure l is a top lView. of my improved crate; Figure 2 is a side view of the same;

Fig. 3 is a horizontal section through one rcorner taken on line 3 3 of Fig. 2; Fig. 4

is an isometric view of two crate members adapted to Vbe assembled to form the joint indicated at A in Figure l; Fig. 5 is a view of a staple used in uniting the upper and lower portions of the crate, and Figs. 6 and '7 show modiiied sections which may be substituted for my preferred' fabricating element.

y The crate is formed substantially of longitudinal lengths 1 and transverse lengths 2 and 3 of the fabricating element best shown in Fig. 4. A T'ew simple parts 4 and 5 are used to unite these lengths. 'The main fabricating element consists of a long, relatively narrow piece of sheet metal bent or drawn to form the hollow, T section illustrated. It is apparent that such a section possesses a high degree of rigidity for itsr weight and will resist bending in any transverse direction.

This inherent. rigidity is increased when the lengths are combined as shown in my crate construction with the cross bar of one element l disposed vertically and the cross bar of another element 2 disposed horizontally. The hollow, T section is readily adapted for assembly of the elements when so disposed as is illustrated in Figures l and 4. Here the leg of element 1 is slotted transversely at 6 and 7 at points adapted t0 receive the ends of the cross bar of element 2. The tongues 8 and 9 of element l will Ato vary the length of staple lresponding flanges of the other element.

In this assembling operation, a flat band 4, bent into a right angle, is inserted in the hollow cross'bar of each T element. assembly, band 4 and elements l and 8 are further secured together by inserting a pin through both of them. In the crate shown, this pin forms the bent end 10 of a staple -5 which' also unites the upper and rlower members of the crate. It is an easy mattei- 5 to adaptA it for different depths of crates. 7

As the sheet metal from which the T- shaped elements are formed need not' be very thick, it will be seen that the offset between two adjacent elements at their joint will be so slight as' to afford no damage to `material contained in the crate.

'lower crate members facilitates the formation of different heights of crates for dit ferent quantities and thicknesses of sheets contained therein.

The modified sections shown in .figures 6 and 7 illustrate other forms of the hollow, T section which `may be found advantageous. I believe the hollow, T-shaped fabricating element to be a novel section and adapted for other uses than in shipping crates.` y

While I have referred to' my crate as being especially adapted for shipping paper, it may be well used, in its present or a modified form, for tin plate, steel or other metal sheets, wall board, veneer, etc. and in any ofthese uses, its rigidity, economy and adaptability shows a material advantage over other crates now in use.

I claim l. A crate frame including longitudinal members comprising hollow angular members formed of sheet metal and having the edges of the sheet metal spaced apart to form a projecting flange and notched at intervals to form a double tongue, and hollow angular transverse members extending at' right an.- gles tosaid longitudinal members and having their ends engaged by said tongues After whereby each double tongue projects into the hollow interior of the member and extends longitudinally thereof.

2. .Si crate traine including interlocking longitudinal and transverse members, each member comprising a hollow angular member formed of sheet metal with the portions of the sheet forming the opposite sides ot each ilange portion spaced apart, and` tongues formed on some of said members by cutting parallel slots therein at right angles to the axis thereof said tongues projecting longitiidinzilly into the end of an interlocled member. i

3. ln a crate, parallel, hollow, T shaped elements, parallel, hollow, T shaped elements arranged transversely thereto the cross bar of one of said elements terminating near the cross bar of' an adjacent element an l. shaped corner band inserted in the adjacent cross bars, and bandland element retaining means. N

4. A metal crate frame, ,including hollow T-shaped members formed of sheetjmetal and interlocled by means ot tonguesgt'ormed on one member by having parallel slits outV into a flange portion thereof, and projecting into and extending.longitudinally of the iiiterior or' the interlocked member.

long elements each having aY hollow, ,T shaped section; a disposition ol' said elements so that the edge ot the leg of one element is disposed towards the end of the cross bar or' another element, said leg being slotted at intervals so as to provide a tongue portion adapted .to enter said hollow cross bar. i v

6. A crate frame composed of hollow, T shaped elements, in which thelegs ofelements forming opposite sides `olz the frame are positioned horizontally and-the cross bar olf' elements .intermediate said sides are positioned horizontally, said legs being j cut to form tongues adapted to, enter the ends ot' said cross bars. i

'i'. In a crate, parallel, angular elements,

parallel, angular elements arranged trans-l versely thereto, one of the flanges `of each element consisting of a hollow portion'and I terininatingnear a hollow portion of a transverse element, an .L shaped. corner band in- Vinterloclreil therewith by means of tongues forined'thereon by slitting flanges thereof, i each ot said tongues projecting into the hol# low cross bar portion of one of said transverse members and extending longitudinally thereof.

9. A fabricating element for crates Jformed ol' sheetfmetal overlapped upon itself to form a base portion and a projecting flange, and

having assembling tongues formed thereon by havingvslitsfcut atintervals in the flange portion thereof.` j

l0. A tabricatinglelement of a metal crate.

vT-shape in cross-section formed of sheet metal overlapped upon itselfto 'Form a base portion, and a flange extending longitudinally ,of the base and projecting at right angles thereto intermediate the lateral edges thereof, and-a tongue formed thereon by slits 4cut into jtlieedges ot the sheet metal at an angle to theaxis ol the base portion. 5. ln a crate composed substantially of j l1. fabricatingelemento a metal frame having a Tshaped cross-section and consist- `ing ola hollow `base portion and a double flangeprojecting at right angles'therefrom with eachportion of the double flange integrally formed ,with the adjacent portion of the base,and assembling tongues formed on said eleinentby parallel `slits cut into the flange portionthereof. i

,12. Av fabricating` element of a metal trame comprising a hollow flangedv member formed of sheet metal and having the .edges oif thesheetmetal spaced apart to lorm a projecting flange and notched at intervals to loi'm a doubleassembling tongue.

Inl testimony whereof, l have hereunto subscribed my name this 15th day of October, `1920.

y I ARTHUR TQ oDEii. In'the presence of; ,c

GERTRUDE F. KNOX, dnssrn' W. lVln'rzLiiR.l 

